Nutrition vs Stroke Risk

We learned yesterday about a meta-analysis demonstrating that active treating pre-hypertension, repeated blood pressure readings higher than normal but not high enough to diagnose as hypertension, lowers stroke risk.  And we learned earlier this month that dietary antioxidants lower stroke risk in women.  Back in September, we learned that lifestyle, including vegetable consumption, affects stroke risk.

So it shouldn't be too much of a surprise that a review article to be published in next month's issue of Lancet Neurology found both the Mediterranean diet and the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet associated w/lower risk of stroke.  Furthermore, less salt & sugar consumption along w/greater potassium intake was also associated w/lower risk of stroke.

On the other hand, supplementation w/antioxidant vitamins, B vitamins & calcium did not appear to materially affect & lower stroke risk.  In other words, attempts to isolate the benefit of healthy nutrition and narrow risk mitigation down to a few vitamins & minerals don't appear to have major benefit.  It would appear that from a healthcare perspective, there are no shortcuts.  Healthy aging is a product of consistent & persistent healthy nutrition & regular physical activity.  Healthy aging is not the product of consistent daily consumption of a handful of pills.

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